Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is quite bizarre for the Minister to tell me he will get Fáilte Ireland to inform me. This is not a written question and the whole purpose of submitting questions in advance of Question Time is for the Minister to come into the House fully armed with the information. I have no doubt about the research but when Ireland's Ancient East was established there was no brand for the midlands, as a consequence of which some of the midlands was included. Part of my home county of Westmeath, which is in the centre of Ireland and is home to the Hill of Uisneach, is excluded from Ireland's Hidden Heartlands. It is bizarre stuff. County Laois, also in the centre of Ireland, is also excluded from Ireland's Hidden Heartlands and it is bizarre that the Minister cannot explain why that is the case. Between 2007 and 2014, County Laois received the least amount of funding from Fáilte Ireland.

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